by Jade Jones
Shayla anxiously unbuttoned his jeans before pulling his rod free. Locking their lips, she slowly eased down on top of him. “I wanna know everything about you,” she said in between kisses.
“Shit…you will…” Shayla was so warm and wet upon his entrance; she had that gushy. “I’ma tell you erything,” Romeo groaned. Reclining his head, all he wanted Shayla to do was take control. Even the wildest of dogs could be tamed.
22
“You holla’d at ya girl?” Desmond asked the following afternoon.
He and Kim were seated on a bench at a local park while watching Jordan play. Over the last few days, the two had gotten incredibly close. The more Cool faded into the background, the more Desmond slowly took over. It had actually gotten to a point where Kim rarely if ever thought about her ex-fiancé.
“Not yet,” she sighed. “I hit her up a few times this morning, but she ain’t answer.”
“Give her a few days to chill. She’ll be straight,” Desmond promised. From where he sat, he could see Jordan playing tag with another young boy. “Damn…I always wanted a son.”
Kim laughed. “Maybe you’ll get one, one day.”
Desmond nudged her playfully. “You gon’ gimme one?”
“Boy, bye,” Kim smiled.
After composing himself, Desmond continued. “Anyway, I been thinkin’,” he began. “Why don’t you let me move you and J into somethin’ bigger? I mean ya’ll crib straight and all, but more space wouldn’t hurt.”
Honestly, Desmond just wanted her closer to him. And he hated visiting a home that her ex put her in.
Kim drew back and looked at Desmond like he was crazy. “Listen at you trying to spoil me.”
“I wanna spoil the fuck outta you,” he said.
Kim’s smile slowly vanished as she looked deep in his eyes. “How ‘bout you start by telling me what you do for a living?” There was no trace of humor in her tone when she spoke. “I know you ain’t working a regular nine to five.”
“Why can’t I be?” Desmond asked curiously.
“You never took me as a nine-to-five type of nigga,” Kim answered. “Just be real. Are you involved in something dangerous? Something me and Jordan could possibly be exposed to? ‘Cuz I ain’t really trying to have my son around no bullshit. And I ain’t trying to get caught up in none either. I just closed that chapter in my life and I don’t wanna reopen it.”
Desmond sighed deeply before running a hand over his brush waves. He knew the question was going to pop up sooner or later. With the boss-like way he was living it was bound to come. Desmond only hoped it was later rather than sooner.
“Aight…I do sell a lil’ bit of weed,” he admitted. “But I ain’t mixed up in no shit that could get you hurt. I keep my nose clean. You can believe that. I’d never endanger you and ya kid, feel me?”
“Okay,” Kim said earnestly. Although she respected Desmond for telling the truth, she feared losing him the same way she had lost Cool; to prison.
“You trust me?” Desmond asked her.
“…I do…,” Kim confessed. “I probably shouldn’t. But I do.”
***
Jordan was fast asleep when Kimberlyn and Desmond pulled into her driveway. He’d tuckered himself out at the playground, and was out for the count.
“You want me to carry him inside?” Desmond offered, turning off the engine.
Before Kimberlyn could respond, a wooden bat suddenly slammed into the back window.
23
KKSSSHHHHHH!
Glass sprayed onto Jordan, instantly waking him. A small piece nicked his cheek, but his safety was the least of Dana’s worries.
“Get out the car, mothafucka!” she screamed.
Kimberlyn and Desmond hopped out simultaneously. Kim rushed to tend to Jordan while Desmond went to calm Dana.
“Aye, what the fuck is you doin’?!” he barked.
Dana took a wild swing at Desmond’s head but missed. “I told yo’ ass to get rid of these hoes!” she hollered.
Enraged that her son was harmed, Kim charged at Dana like a madwoman. In an attempt to defend herself, she swung the wooden bat with force. Kim’s arm automatically went up to protect her face. Fortunately, it took the blow instead of her skull. With adrenaline coursing through her blood, Kim barely felt it as she attacked Dana.
Blow for blow, she wailed on the baby mama from hell until she finally saw blood drop. “You fucking bitch!” Kim growled repeatedly.
Thankfully, Desmond managed to pull Kim off before she killed Dana. His baby mama’s nose was bloodied by the time Kimberlyn finished with her.
“Kim, chill!” Desmond ordered. “Go get Jordan and take him in the house!”
Panting heavily, Kimberlyn looked from Dana to Desmond. Had it not been for her son needing medical attention she would’ve gladly went for a round two.
“Your bitch is outta line! I want her off my fucking property!” Kim screamed. Mumbling a few choice words, she headed to the car and collected Jordan. He was still crying when she carried him to the house.
“Man, what da fuck is you doin’, Dana?” Desmond snapped. He couldn’t believe he’d carelessly allowed things to get to that point. Dana talked a lot of shit, but he had underestimated her actions. As a matter of fact, Desmond thought she had grown tired and went back to Cali. Unfortunately, he was wrong. Dana was only waiting for the perfect moment swoop in and attack.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she stood in front of Desmond. Dana looked a hot mess with her hair in disarray and nose leaking. Desmond was the love of her life, and she couldn’t accept losing him to another. Usually, Dana was never that violent, but desperate times called for desperate measure.
“You promised me you wasn’t gon’ let the money change you!” she cried.
“I didn’t change! YOU DID!” Desmond spat. “Look what da fuck you doin’ right now! You need to accept we over—”
“WE AIN’T OVER!” Dana screamed. “It ain’t over ‘til I say it’s over. I got all the time in the world, Desmond. I can do this shit everyday all day.”
“You really fuckin’ trippin’,” he said, shaking his head. “And where my mufuckin’ daughter at? Answer me dat shit.”
Dana stalled with her response, nervously shifting from one foot to the other.
“Where’s Destiny? I ain’t ‘bout to ask you again.”
“At the hotel—”
Dana’s sentence was cut short after she was violently yoked up. She didn’t even get a chance to add that she was with Monica. “Bitch, you got my daughter at a hotel while you out here wildin’?! I should snap yo’ fuckin’ neck!”
“Get off me!” Dana screamed, snatching away. In the process, Desmond’s fingernails scratched into her skin, leaving long sharp gashes in her flesh.
Suddenly, Kim burst through the front door with a loaded 9mm. Standing behind her, Aunt Rita pleaded with her to think reasonably.
Kim wasn’t trying to hear that shit as she approached them. Slowly raising the gun, she aimed it directly at Dana.
24
Cool had taken Kim to shooting practice on the regular so her aim was impeccable. If she squeezed, she wouldn’t miss.
Desmond quickly jumped in front of Dana to protect her. “Whoa! Whoa! Kim, what da fuck is you doin’?!”
“Tell this crazy bitch to get off my property!” Kim demanded.
“I’m crazy?” Dana laughed wickedly. “You the one with the fucking gun!”
“And you the one with the damn bat! And you hurt my son. I should put one between yo’ mothafuckin’ eyes—”
“Kim, gimme da gun,” Desmond ordered. There wasn’t a hint of fear on his face as he held his hand out. “I can’t let you shoot my baby moms. That’s fam.”
His comment instantly seared Kim’s heart, and cut deep. “Well, you and yo’ fam can get the fuck off my property!” she countered.
Desmond was shocked by her hostile response. “Damn…like that?” he asked in disbelief.
Unblinkingly, Kim cocked the gun. She wanted both their asses to know she wasn’t fucking around. “Just like that.”
***
That morning Shayla awoke to soft tapping on her bedroom door.
“Shayla?” Tina called out. “You’ve got company.”
Snatching the sheets off her body, she anxiously sat up in bed. Romeo.
Shayla quickly hopped out the full-sized bed and raced to her adjoined bathroom. After speed-gargling with Listerine, she hand-combed through her hair and opened her bedroom door.
Padding barefoot, Shayla headed towards the front of the house. She couldn’t believe Romeo had surprised her with a visit. Although he seemed spontaneous enough, she didn’t expect him to be so bold. After all, it wasn’t like Tina hadn’t already expressed her dislike.
To Shayla’s dismay, her visitor wasn’t the handsome, enigmatic Romeo. Instead, sitting casually on the arm of the sofa in the living room was none other than Dexter.
“What are you doing here?” Shayla asked in a nasty tone.
“I wanted to be able to talk to you without ya boyfriend lurkin’ around.”
Just then Tina walked up and handed Dexter a mug of coffee. She was really reaching with her hospitality since she wanted the two back together.
“I don’t like that cat, Shayla. He’s ignorant as hell. He’s arrogant. And he’s violent. And to be real, I ain’t cool with you kickin’ it with him—”
“Don’t even go there,” Shayla warned Dexter. “Or else you’ll be the biggest hypocrite I know. And why the hell do you even care so much who I’m seeing. From the looks of things, you’ve already moved on. You shouldn’t even be standing in my house right now—”
“Shayla, why are you being so hostile?” Tina butted in. “Listen to the man. In spite of what ya’ll are going through he loves you, and he knows you,” she argued. “We don’t know a damn thing about Romeo other than him being a sleaze ball. One day he’s buying you cars and the next he’s avoiding you. I know that type of man. He only wants to control you,” Tina explained. “You may not talk to me much about your dating life, but I see what goes on around you, Shayla. And I have a bad feeling about that one.”
“Okay, ma, first of all, I’m a grown woman,” Shayla retaliated. “I don’t need your acceptance or permission on who to love—”
“Love?!” Dexter looked pained by that revelation.
Shayla was just about to correct herself when she felt a bout of nausea wash over her. Sprinting to the nearest bathroom, she dropped down on her knees and vomited uncontrollably.
Tina quickly rushed to her daughter’s aid. But as soon as she realized what was happening she folded her arms in disgust. “Oh Lord. Don’t tell me you went and got pregnant by that fool.”
***
Kimberlyn was washing dishes when she heard faint knocks on the front door. Believing that it was Desmond, she hesitated with answering it. It had only been a few hours since the fiasco with his baby mama occurred, and it was far too early to make amends. Kim needed some space from him and his ‘emotionally unstable baggage’
“You want me to get it?!” Rita called from the den.
Wiping her hands, Kimberlyn turned off the faucets. “No. I got it.” After tossing the dish rag on the counter, she headed to the front door.
Standing on her tiptoes, Kim peered through the peephole. A low sigh immediately left her lips. She couldn’t say she was all too surprised to see him.
Going against her better judgment, Kimberlyn slowly opened the front door. “What do you want, Cool?” she asked unenthusiastically.
Kimberlyn didn’t miss the distinguished hickie on his neck. However, she was too beat down mentally to question him about it. Besides, who was she to check Cool about kicking it with someone new? She had Desmond. And Cool was free to do as he pleased as far as Kim was concerned.
Holding up a bag of food from Benihana’s, Christopher “Cool” Williams offered a gold-fanged grin. “A lil’ bit of ya time, babe.”
25
Pop a couple bands with a nigga like me…
Loving ain't the same with a nigga like me…
You use to them but ain't no loving me…
I hear what you would say and, girl, it's clear to see…
You should just drink a couple drinks with a nigga like me…
You probably go insane with a nigga like me…
Let's just party till we can't, ain't no loving me…
And I'm the one to blame, ain't no loving me…
So don't come looking for love…
Shayla twiddled with her thumbs as she watched Romeo from where she stood. All day she had contemplated on rather she should tell him she was pregnant or not. By the time 9 pm rolled around, she’d finally come up with a decision. But seeing him there in the flesh had her having doubts.
About a week ago, Romeo had purchased Club XTC from its previous owner. The small hole-in-the-wall establishment was the perfect setting to trap out of while still keeping a low profile. It also made for a great front.
Romeo was completely oblivious to Shayla’s presence as he got a lap dance from one of his girls. August Alsina’s “No Love” poured through the club’s massive speakers, and colorful strobe lights reflected off the dancers on stage.
Since it was early there weren’t many guests inside. But the few people who were there looked like they were on chill mode.
Prior to arriving, Shayla had texted Romeo letting him know that they needed to talk. He responded with an address on where she could meet him, and twenty minutes later she was there. Stalling and unsure if she should even tell Romeo the truth.
From the way he was entranced by the brown-skinned vixen in his lap, Shayla knew he wasn’t ready for commitment. And if he wasn’t ready for commitment, he certainly wasn’t ready to be a father.
I should just turn around and leave, Shayla thought. He ain’t ready for this life and quite frankly I’m not either.
Shayla was just about to walk out the club when Romeo suddenly noticed her. Hopping out the red suede chair, he immediately went after her. “Aye, what’s up? Where you goin’?” Romeo asked, gently grabbing Shayla’s wrist.
“I—I shouldn’t…I think it might’ve been a mistake coming here,” Shayla stammered. She didn’t even feel like telling him the truth anymore. She just wanted to handle it on her own so they could go their separate ways.
Romeo scoffed lightly. “Why? What’s up? Talk to me.”
Shayla looked around at their surroundings and frowned. “This really isn’t the place, Romeo.”
“I know you ain’t feelin’ some type of way ‘bout some strippers,” he said. He and Shayla weren’t even official, so in his opinion it shouldn’t have been an issue. It was nothing more unattractive to Romeo than a female with insecurities.
“It’s not that,” Shayla said, growingly annoyed. “Look, I—never mind. I should just go.” She turned to walk away again but Romeo quickly grabbed her wrist. “Get your damn hands off me! Go back to groping your whores!” Shayla yelled.
Offended by her snappiness, Romeo tossed her hand. “Fuck you then. Get yo’ ass up outta here if you don’t wanna see it.” With that said, he turned and walked off. Shayla was tripping and he didn’t have time for that shit. “Bougie ass bitch,” he mumbled.
Shayla quickly left the club feeling both disappointed and embarrassed. She started to chalk it as a loss but decided to give herself a couple hours to calm down. After driving around for two whole hours, Shayla wound up right back at Club XTC.
When she entered the strip club, Romeo was posted at the bar chopping it up with one of his boys. That time the club was jam packed since he’d paid a few local celebs to make guest appearances. The entire place reeked of pungent marijuana and perfume. It was the ideal T&A man cave.
Nausea washed over Shayla as she thought about dating a man who owned a strip club—or better yet having a child by one. However, this was her first pregnancy, and she didn’t want to make deci
sions without Romeo knowing first. She owed him that much.
“Can I talk to you for a minute,” Shayla asked in a surprisingly calm tone. Lately she’d been hormonal but that was to be expected.
Placing his drink on the counter, Romeo took Shayla by the hand and led her to his office. Once inside, he closed the door so they could have some peace and privacy.
“I—”
“Let—”
Romeo and Shayla stopped after realizing they were trying to speak at the same time. “You go first,” she urged, wanting to stall for as long as possible.
“First, I wanna apologize for snappin’ like dat earlier,” Romeo said. “You ain’t deserve that.”
Shayla hesitated with a response. After what felt like an eternity, she finally blurted out, “I’m pregnant.”
There was a long uncomfortable pause in the room after Shayla’s unexpected revelation. Grabbing the blunt behind his ear, Romeo fired it up and took a few pulls.
“I didn’t come here for sympathy or support,” she continued. “I didn’t even come here to ask you for money. I just thought you deserved to know…before I make the appointment and all—”
“Hol’ up. Hol’ up. What appointment?”
“What appointment you think?” Shayla retorted.
“Damn. A nigga can’t get a say in this shit?” Romeo asked.
“To say what? It’s obvious you ain’t ready to be a father! How would you support us?” Shayla hounded. “Off drug money? That is what you do, right?” she patiently waited for a response to see if her guess was accurate. Shayla wasn’t surprised when she didn’t get one. “I’m not clueless. And you’re not either,” she said. “We come from two different worlds. Us being together is just a recipe for disaster…”
Romeo didn’t speak as he put out his blunt and slowly approached Shayla. She was still kicking that same old bullshit when he pulled her towards him and held her. “I ain’t tryin’ to hear all dat. ‘Cuz I don’t think that’s true. And deep down inside you don’t either.”